Obama: Gun Regs, what the heck?

Question by Marlie: Obama: Gun Regs, what the heck?
What is up with Obama basically wanting to ban guns for home use and protection? Or him wanting to prosecute individuals who shoot trespassers or burglars on their own properties? I think that is ridiculous. At this point, I am voting for neither of the major candidates.

This doesn’t sound to me that he wants to ban guns completely. But it should be a priority to close loopholes that allow people to buy guns so easily. Again why do Americans need to be toting Semi-Automatic weapons? The Virgina Tech incident was because this kid had and was allowed to EASILY get semi-automatic weapons.

It’s too easy for guns to fall into the hands of people who wish to do illegal and dangerous harm with these weapons.

A FEW reasons why gun ‘Control’ is a good thing:

America and Gun Violence”
“American children are more at risk from firearms than the children of any other industrialized nation. In one year, firearms killed no children in Japan, 19 in Great Britain, 57 in Germany, 109 in France, 153 in Canada, and 5,285 in the United States.” (Centers for Disease Control)

Guns in the Wrong Hands”
“Faulty records enable terrorists, illegal aliens and criminals to purchase guns. Over a two and a half-year period, at least 9,976 convicted felons and other illegal buyers in 46 states obtained guns because of inadequate records.” (Broken Records, Americans for Gun Safety Foundation)

School Safety:
“Between 1994 and 1999, there were 220 school associated violent events resulting in 253 deaths – – 74.5% of these involved firearms. Handguns caused almost 60% of these deaths.” (Journal of American Medical Association, December 2001)

“In 1998-99 academic year, 3,523 students were expelled for bringing a firearm to school. This is a decrease from the 5,724 students expelled in 1996-97 for bringing a firearm to school.” (U.S. Department of Education, October 2000)

“Nearly 8% of adolescents in urban junior and senior high schools miss at least one day of school each month because they are afraid to attend.” (National Mental Health & Education Center for Children & Families, National Association of School Psychologists 1998)

“The National School Boards Association estimates that more than 135,000 guns are brought into U.S. schools each day.” (NSBA, 1993)

Children and Gun Violence:
“America is losing too many children to gun violence. Between 1979 and 2001, gunfire killed 90,000 children and teens in America.” (Children’s Defense Fund and National Center for Health Statistics)

“In one year, more children and teens died from gunfire than from cancer, pneumonia, influenza, asthma, and HIV/AIDS combined.”(Children’s Defense Fund)

“The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

“The rate of firearm deaths among kids under age 15 is almost 12 times higher in the United States than in 25 other industrialized countries combined.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

“American kids are 16 times more likely to be murdered with a gun, 11 times more likely to commit suicide with a gun, and nine times more likely to die from a firearm accident than children in 25 other industrialized countries combined.” (Centers for Disease Control)

Terrorism:
“Terrorists have purchased firearms at gun shows, where unlicensed sellers are not currently required to conduct background checks or to ask for identification. According to the Middle East Intelligence Report, for example, a Hezbollah member was arrested in November 2000, after a nine-month investigation by the FBI’s counter-terrorism unit. Ali Boumelhem was later convicted on seven counts of weapons charges and conspiracy to ship weapons and ammunition to Lebanon. Federal agents had observed Boumelhem, a resident of Detroit and Beirut, travel to Michigan gun shows and buy gun parts and ammunition for shipment overseas. Boumelhem was prohibited from legally purchasing guns as gun stores because he was a convicted felon. Additional cases involve a Pakistani national with an expired (1988) student visa; a Lebanese native and Hamas member with numerous felony convictions; and a supporter of the Irish Republican Army.” (USA Today, Wednesday, November 28, 2001 Americans for Gun Safety)

Gun Theft:
“According to Americans for Gun Safety (December 2002), gun theft is most likely in states without laws requiring safe storage of firearms in the home and where there are large numbers of gun owners and relatively high crime rates. Based on FBI data, nearly 1.7 million guns have been reported stolen in the past ten years, and only 40% of those were recovered. The missing guns, over 80% of which are taken from homes or cars, most likely fuel the black market for criminals.” ( NEA, AGS and the National Rifle Association advocate for safe storage.)

Ok so again why is gun CONTROL a bad thing? Why is ensuring that guns don’t fall into the wrong peoples hands a bad thing?

Well if you are that upset, you had better vote fro McCain. Because if he looses you just as well give up your guns! Lesser of the two evils. Better off with a half a** Liberal than a full fledged Socialist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok for states & cities to determine local gun laws
Q: Is the D.C. law prohibiting ownership of handguns consistent with an individual’s right to bear arms?
A: As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can’t constrain the exercise of that right, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use it.

Q: But do you still favor the registration & licensing of guns?

A: I think we can provide common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don’t have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets.

What’s even more funny is the fact that on several occasions he voted to let child molesters out early for ‘good behavior’ he voted against a ban that would have keep deranged lunatics off of school grounds, and a whole bunch of other ‘common sense laws’ But now he want common sense gun control?

Go figure. Let the crooks out, ban the legal people from self protection.